, 1887-12-29
GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY
DURING THE PAST
FEW YEARS.
Spokane Falls the Milling
Headquarters Of a Rapid
ly Developing Grain
Section.

gress From the time three years
ago when farmers began to give it
preference over other towns nearer
their homes, on account Of it's super
ior commercial advantages to the
present day, when by reason OF its
local railroad facilities II taps the
most remarkable wheat district on the
globe, it has stood in the front rank of
Pacific coast markets both in con-
sumption and in fixing prices for
cereals. Last summer our millers
paid farmers at points on the Spo-
kane & Palouse branch as high as
TEN CENTS PER BusuxL
above the market value OF the wheat
as determined by outside grain CEN
ters to which the grain is shipped.
They took all that was obtainable and
raked large area Of country, paying
this premium. The value of such a
market to the farming community and
to the town itself as mercantile and
distributing point is inestimable.
There are three Touring mills in
the city: the old Post grist mill, built
by Frederick Post ton years ago, part
ly in consideration of the sale made
by j. N. Glover to the builder OF a
magnificent section of the falls with
forty acres Of contiguous land for the
nominal sum Of two hundred and
seventy-ive dollars; the Echo mills,
erected four years ago by s. G.. HAY
ermale and Geo. A. Davis, and the G.
& G., the newest and largest, finished
two years ago by j. G. Clark, of
Bangor, and operated by CLARK &
Curtis. The last two mills mentioned
are complete roller mills, fully equip
ped with the latest devices. They
have high standing ON the Pacific
coast. The aggregate capacity Of
the town is
ATS BARRELS DAILY,
which can easily be doubled with
their present floor space and present
developed power.
The manufacture Of flour always
directs more attention to a point than
that of any other staple, because a
town making any pretentions to
flour center has to reach out far and
wide to dispose Of its product There
ia probably no other business which
requires such continual exertions on
the part OF the proprietors to work off
the output in dull seasons. Apropos
OF the distant regions to which favor
ite brands find their way, there is a
very pat advertisement of a leading
flour, representing Robinson Crusoe,
his man Friday in the rear, standing
transfixed as one who had seen an
apparition" before barrel OF patent
flour which the waves had Just thrown
upon the sands Of his remote island
home. Spokane Falls millers epioy
no immunity from the general neces-
sity for wide distribution. The mills
can turn out
125.O00 BARRELS PER Assux.
The mining regions Of northern
Washington and British Columbia.
OF Idaho and Montana, and the srri,
cultural districts of the south and
west create large market. Flour
gocs from here by wagon trains and
pack-horses to points in the moun-
tains three hundred miles distant--so
far that it is worth SIS per barrel
when laiG down at the miners cabin.
nearly tonr-fifths Of which represents
transportation. Still these markets
do not meet the capacity Of the mills,
and in consequence, within the past
ten years flour made here has been
found not only in all markets on the
Pacific coast but in the Atlantic
coast cities, in
ENGLAND AND IN CHINA.
This introduction of the home pro-
duct into far away countries has been
instrumental in spreading the interest
that attaches to our rapidly growing
city:
The mills will grind this year six
hundred thousand bushels Of wheat
the greater part OF which is brought
in by rail from the Palouse counfrv
1t is no unusual thing to see twenty
loaded cars on the side tracks. nnd
heavy teams loaded with grain one
way and flour the other, constantIv
traverse the streets between the raif-
road and the falls.
The amount OF capital invested in
mills at Spokane Falls and in ware
houses for this supply at outside points
is in the neighborhood Of 1886. 400.
The business gives employment to
some twenty-four men in town. with
q pay roll OF about $4,000 per month,
In addition to the milling industry.
the Northern Pacific Elevator Co. Of
Minneapolis, have twelve houses at
pointS on the main line Of the N. r
and Spokane 4 Palouse roads. with
nesdquarter! IN this city. They do
sn Immense business in wheat, barley
and other grains, shipping to our